Dan Bross, KUAC - Fairbanks

A bill that adds big bull moose derbies to the list of games of chance that can be permitted by the state, passed the House yesterday. Representative Tammie Wilson’s bill would allow a municipality or non-profit organization to be permitted to sell tickets to hunters, and award prizes to those who kill moose with the biggest antlers. Download Audio

Galena residents are preparing for another season of rebuilding from devastation wrought by last year’s major break up flood. There was a major emergency response last summer, but much work remains to be done in the Yukon River community. Download Audio

University of Alaska President Pat Gamble told a Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday a re-worked bill that would permit concealed handguns on campus, is still unacceptable. Download Audio

A resolution in the legislature urges quick action by Governor Sean Parnell to ensure Alaska doesn’t lose in state refining capacity. HCR 22 by Representative Tammie Wilson of North Pole, is aimed at keeping Flint Hills North Pole Refinery in operation under a new owner. Flint Hills plans to cease refining this summer in favor of selling cheaper imported fuels. Download Audio

Governor Sean Parnell has released a report on last summer’s law enforcement sweep of placer mines in the 40 Mile area. It finds mixed blame for the heavy handed law enforcement that upset miners. Download Audio

Longtime Tanana Chiefs Conference President Jerry Isaac stepped down Thursday, after 8 years at the helm of the consortium that represents 42 Interior Alaska native villages. Download Audio

The Fairbanks city council passed a resolution Monday in support of state, federal and international monitoring for radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. Download Audio

The Alaska Department of Health is looking into possible coal ash health impacts from Aurora Energy’s downtown Fairbanks plant. Coal ash is increasingly coming under scrutiny around the country due to contamination from large scale spills, but the situation in Fairbanks is different. Download Audio

The Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation says the issue of liability for future sulfolane spills should not preclude Flint Hills from selling its North Pole refinery. Download Audio

Kikkan Randall has a lock on her 3rd straight World Cup sprint title. Randall did not make the finals in a classic technique sprint in Drammen Norway Wednesday, but her seventh place finish there mathematically clinches the season title. Just one sprint race remains. Retaining the title as the world’s top woman sprinter is some consolation for Randall who struggled at last month’s Sochi Olympics, where she’s d hoped to medal. Download Audio

Kikkan Randall is back on top. Following disappointing races at the Sochi Olympics, Randall of Anchorage, won a World Cup sprint race in Finland over the weekend. Download Audio

The State of Alaska will sue over contamination from the Flint Hills North Pole Refinery. Historic sulfolane spills have resulted in the industrial solvent migrating through ground water. Download Audio

Willow runner Dave Johnston has set a new foot record in the 350-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational race. Dragging a sled over snow, ice and dirt trail, Johnston covered the distance in 4 days, 1 hour and 38 min. That’s over 87 miles per day. Johnston bested the old record set by Steve Reifenstuhl of Sitka in 2005, by more than 14 hours. Download Audio

The owner of the Polaris building is optimistic about financing renovation of the long vacant downtown Fairbanks high rise. Anchorage developer Marc Marlow reported to the Fairbanks city council Monday that he planned to file a federal loan guarantee application with the Bureau of Indian affairs this week. Download Audio

Cyclists have set new speed records in the Iditarod Trail Invitational. Smooth trail is credited with helping athletes in the 350 race human powered race between Knik and McGrath. Download Audio

Anchorage and Fairbanks are on a shortened list of bases being considered by the Air Force for the stationing of its new F-35 fighter jets. Eielson Air Force Base near North Pole and Joint Base Elemendorf Richardson in Anchorage are among 5 Pacific region bases announced by the Air Force today to Alaska’s Congressional delegation Tuesday. Download Audio

The Fairbanks city council passed a resolution Monday pleading with the state to provide better access to medical marijuana. Resolution sponsor member Lloyd Hiling emphasized that it’s aimed strictly at supply side of the issue. Download Audio

First Nations students from the Yukon Territory are learning mining skills through a University of Alaska program. An agreement between UA and Yukon College is enabling the 20 students to take underground mining courses at the Delta Mine Training Center. Download Audio

A former Alaska State Trooper has been arrested for sexual abuse of a minor. Troopers say Warren Tanner of North Pole was picked up Friday following a report received the previous day that the 75-year-old had been abusing a 14 year old girl, over several years. Tanner was taken into custody with the assistance of U.S. Marshals and jailed in Fairbanks. Tanner commanded the Fairbanks Trooper detachment for 2 years, before retiring in 1999. He served as a provost Marshall on Ft. Wainwright in the 1970’s before becoming a Trooper. Download Audio

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is ramping up its unmanned aerial vehicle testing center. The university was one of 6 entities around the country selected by the Federal Aviation Administration in December to undertake the task of integrating UAV’s into U.S. airspace. Download Audio